Dictionary

asunder en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈsʌndə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (General-American) audio
• ə-sŭnʹdər (General-American)
• /əˈsʌndəɹ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English asunder, asonder (“apart in position, distant; apart in movement; to pieces; alone, separately; distinct in kind, different”), asondri (“distinct, separate”), onsunder, onsondre (“apart, asunder; alone, separately; especially, particularly (?)”), from Old English onsundrum, on sundur (“asunder, apart, privately”), probably from on- (prefix meaning ‘on, upon’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”)) + sundor, sunder (“alone, apart; separately; privately”) (from Proto-West Germanic *sundr, from Proto-Germanic *sundraz (“alone, separate”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *senH- (“apart; for oneself; without”)). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’ denoting a condition, manner, or state) + sunder (“(obsolete except dialectal) different; separate”). cognates * Danish sønder * Dutch zonder * Faroese sundur * German sonder * Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍂𐍉 (sundrō) * Icelandic sundur * Norwegian Bokmål sunder, sønder * Swedish sönder

Meanings

1. (archaic, literary, obsolete) Different, unlike.
   • Moth[er]: I cannot blame thee. / But it greeues thee more that Villaine liues. / Iul[iet]: VVhat Villaine Madame? / Moth: That Villaine Romeo. / Iul: Villaine and he are manie miles a ſunder. c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] Romeo and Juliet. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, published 1597, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], signature [G5], recto:

Forms

asunder en · ADV · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈsʌndə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (General-American) audio
• ə-sŭnʹdər (General-American)
• /əˈsʌndəɹ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English asunder, asonder (“apart in position, distant; apart in movement; to pieces; alone, separately; distinct in kind, different”), asondri (“distinct, separate”), onsunder, onsondre (“apart, asunder; alone, separately; especially, particularly (?)”), from Old English onsundrum, on sundur (“asunder, apart, privately”), probably from on- (prefix meaning ‘on, upon’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”)) + sundor, sunder (“alone, apart; separately; privately”) (from Proto-West Germanic *sundr, from Proto-Germanic *sundraz (“alone, separate”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *senH- (“apart; for oneself; without”)). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’ denoting a condition, manner, or state) + sunder (“(obsolete except dialectal) different; separate”). cognates * Danish sønder * Dutch zonder * Faroese sundur * German sonder * Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍂𐍉 (sundrō) * Icelandic sundur * Norwegian Bokmål sunder, sønder * Swedish sönder

Meanings

1. (archaic, literary) Of two or more people or things: ▸ Apart or separate from each other.
   • [T]hese two never seemed to speak—one man to the other—unless at long intervals some passing unmomentous matter made it necessary. Though such a potent spell seemed secretly to join the twain; openly, and to the awe-struck crew, they seemed pole-like asunder. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Hat”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 591:
   • Heer's a coyle to keep fire and tovv a ſunder. 1611, Thomas Heywood, The Golden Age, or The Liues of Jupiter and Saturne, with the Defining of the Heathen Gods. […], London: […] [Nicholas Okes] for William Barrenger, […], →OCLC, Act IV, signature H, recto:
   • Right, the sacrifice of self to good; wrong, the sacrifice of good to self;—not graduated objects of desire, to which we are determined by the degrees of our knowledge, but wide asunder as pole and pole, as light and darkness—one, the object of infinite love; the other, the object of infinite detestation and scorn. 1864 February 5, James Anthony Froude, “The Science of History: A Lecture Delivered at the Royal Institution: February 5, 1864”, in Short Studies on Great Subjects. […], volume I, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1867, →OCLC, page 22:
   • [L]ay the Dung about a Foot thick, covering it over vvith light rich Earth, about ſix or eight Inches, into vvhich, on each Side, you ſhould put in ſome of the Knobs of Muſhroom Earth, about ſix Inches aſunder. 1733, Philip Miller, “MUSHROOMS”, in The Gardeners Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, signature 5T, verso, column 1:
   • He deſired I vvould ſtand like a Coloſſus, vvith my Legs as far aſunder as I conveniently could. He then commanded his General, […] to dravv up the Troops in cloſe Order, and march them under me; […] 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Diverts the Emperor and His Nobility of Both Sexes in a Very Uncommon Manner. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 57:
   • Page. I vvarrant you, hee's the man ſhould fight vvith him. / […] [Robert] Shal[low]. It appeares ſo by his vveapons: keep them aſunder: […] c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 48, column 2:
2. (archaic, literary) Of two or more people or things: ▸ Moving apart from each other.
   • Lochiel thrust himself between the combatants, and, while forcing them asunder, received a wound which was at first believed to be mortal. 1851, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XVI, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume III, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 685:
   • I humbly thanke your Highneſſe, / And am right glad to catch this good occaſion / Moſt throughly to be vvinnovved, vvhere my Chaffe / And Corne ſhall flye aſunder. 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 228, column 1:
   • He went up to the curtains, and, having discovered how they were worked, drew them asunder and disclosed the picture-gallery, ending in a great window taking up the whole end of the room. 1906, John Galsworthy, “Perfection of the House”, in The Man of Property, London: William Heinemann, →OCLC, part II, page 266:
   • [T]he vvhole Fabrick preſently falls to pieces; for all the Springs of the ſeveral parts are ſet at liberty, vvhich immediately extricate themſelves and fly aſunder every vvay; each part by its ſpring contributing to the darting of it ſelf and ſome other contiguous part. 1665, R[obert] Hooke, “Observ[ation] VII. Of Some Phænomena of Glass Drops.”, in Micrographia: Or Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses. […], London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, pages 36–37:
   • Thoughe the lordes departed euery daye vnagreed⸝ yet they departed a ſõder [a sonder] right amiably⸝ for euery daye they poynted to mete agayne the nexte day⸝ bothe parties truſtyng at laſt to cõclude [conclude] on ſome good poynt. 1524 March 20 (date written; Gregorian calendar), John Froissart [i.e., Jean Froissart], “Of the Great Assemble that was Made at Amyence⸝ of the Frenche Kynge and His Counsayle⸝ and of the Kynge of Englandes Vncles: On the Treatie of Peace”, in Here Beginneth the Third and Fourthe Boke of Syr John Froissart of the Cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spaygne, Portyngale, Scotland, Bretayne, Flaunders, and Other Places Adioynyng. […], 2nd volume, London: […] Rycharde Pynson⸝ […], published 10 September 1525 (Gregorian calendar), →OCLC; reprinted as The Thirde and Fourthe Boke of Sir Johan Froyssart (The English Experience […]; no. 250), Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press, 1970, →ISBN, folio ccxxviii, verso, column 1:
   • Our hartes ſwelled, as that they ſhoulde breake / The fire of loue, was ſo ſore kept vnder / When I from her, ſhoulde departe aſunder a. 1506 (date written), Stephen Hawes, “Of the Dolorous and Lowly Disputation, betwene La Bell Pucell, and Graunde Amoure. [Capitu[lum] .XIX.]”, in The Historie of Graunde Amoure and La Bell Pucel, Called the Pastime of Plesure, […], new edition, London: […] John Wayland, […], published 11 June 1554 (Gregorian calendar), →OCLC, signature L.iii., recto:
3. (also, archaic, figuratively, literary) Into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action.
   • His ſuppoſed orthodoxy here cramped the vigorous povvers of his underſtanding. He vvas confined by a chain vvhich early imagination and long habit made him think maſſy and ſtrong, but vvhich, had he ventured to try, he could at once have ſnapt aſunder. 1791, James Boswell, “[1769]”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume I, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 328:
   • About the time that Sylla vvas making ready, to put off vvith his Forces from Italy, beſides many other Divine Omens vvhich befell Mithridates [VI Eupator] at Pergamos, there goes a ſtory, that the Statue of Victory, vvith a Crovvn in her hand, vvhich the Pergamenians by Engines from above let dovvn on him, vvhen ſhe had almoſt reacht his head, fell aſunder, and the Crovvn tumbling dovvn into the midſt of the Theatre, broke to pieces againſt the ground, […] 1684, Plutarch, “The Life of L[ucius] C[ornelius] Sylla”, in William Davies, transl., The Third Volume of Plutarch’s Lives. Translated from the Greek, […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], pages 240–241:
   • For every thing is beſt underſtood by its conſtitutive cauſes; for as in a vvatch, or ſome ſuch ſmall engine, the matter, figure, and motion of the vvheeles, cannot be vvell knovvn, except it be taken in ſunder, and vievved in parts; ſo as to make a more curious ſearch into the rights of States, and duties of Subjects, it is neceſſary, (I ſay not to take them in ſunder, but yet that) they be ſo conſidered, as if they vvere diſſolved, […] 1651, Tho[mas] Hobbes, “The Authors Preface to the Reader.”, in Philosophicall Rudiments Concerning Government and Society. […], London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond] for R[ichard] Royston, […], →OCLC:
   • [I]f your heart is rent asunder and you are truly penitent for what you did, Our Saviour will have mercy on you yet! 1864, Charles Dickens, “Mrs. Lirriper’s Legacy”, in Christmas Stories from “Household Words” & “All the Year Round”, London: Chapman & Hall; and Humphrey Milford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press American Branch, […], published [1868], →OCLC, page 439:
   • And he [Judas Iscariot] hath nowe poſſeſſed a plott of grounde with the rewarde off iniquyte. And when he was hanged⸝ braſt [burst] a ſondre in the myddes⸝ and all his bowels guſſhed out. 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Actes off the Apostles j:[18], folios cliiij, recto – cliiij, verso:
   • […]Mr. [George] Clooney published his essay in The New York Times, and the president [Joe Biden]'s relationship with Hollywood was torn asunder. 2024 July 11, Theodore Schleifer, Jacob Bernstein, Reid J. Epstein, “How Biden lost George Clooney and Hollywood”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2025:
   • to crack asunder    torn asunder
   • VVork'd on the VVreck, cut another Beam aſunder, and brought three great Fir Planks off from the Decks, vvhich I ty'd together, and made ſvvim on Shore, vvhen the Tide of Flood came on. 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 98:
   • You don't want to hurt me / But see how deep the bullet lies / Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder / There is thunder in our hearts 1985 August 5, Kate Bush, “Running Up That Hill”, performed by Kate Bush, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Calif.: EMI America Records, →OCLC:
   • The Kings of the earth ſet themſelues, and the rulers take counſell together, againſt the Lord, and againſt his Anoynted, ſaying, Let vs breake their bandes aſunder, and caſt away their cords from vs. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalm 2:2–3, signature [Bbb4], recto:
4. (archaic, literary, obsolete) Apart from other people; individually, separately; specifically, in private, privately.
   • [I]t vvas Employment enough for us to keep them [the prisoners] aſſunder, and ſupply them vvith Victuals. 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 321:
   • […] I was of the ſame Jeſus Chriſt inſtitute: ſo this préeminence may I lawfully chalenge, that Chriſt choſe them, what tyme he was to our bodily infirmities ſubiect, but me called to be a ſondre to be his preacher, what tyme he had put of all condicions of mannes weakenes. 1549 August 26 (Gregorian calendar), Erasmus, “The Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of the Apostle Sainct Paule to the Galathians. […]. The fyrst Chapiter.”, in Myles Coverdall [i.e., Myles Coverdale], transl., The Seconde Tome or Volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament: […], London: […] Edwarde Whitchurche, →OCLC, folio ii, verso:
5. (archaic, literary, obsolete) Chiefly in the form to know asunder: in a manner distinguishable from other similar things.
   • Some Parts of England vvere novv infected as violently as London had been; […] It is true, vve could not pretend to forbid their People coming to London, becauſe it vvas impoſſible to knovv them aſſunder, […] 1722 March, H[enry] F[oe] [pseudonym; Daniel Defoe], A Journal of the Plague Year: […], London: […] E[lizabeth] Nutt […]; J. Roberts […]; A. Dodd […]; and J. Graves […], →OCLC, page 264:
   • Foure ſorts of Marle be found in this VVeald, knovvne aſunder by the difference of colours, and thereby alſo differing in degrees of goodneſſe one from the other: […] 1625, attributed to Gervase Markham, “A Discourse of the Weald of Kent; and a Comparison of the Arable Lands therein, with the Other Parts of the Shire: Together with Some Necessary Counsels for the Ordering and Inriching of the Marleable Lands in the Weald, or Generally in Any Part of this Kingdome”, in The Inrichment of the Weald of Kent: Or, A Direction to the Husbandman, for the True Ordering, Manuring, and Inriching of All the Grounds within the Wealds of Kent and Sussex, […], London: […] G[eorge] P[urslowe] for Roger Iackson, […], →OCLC, page 8:
   • Ye summond our kynge,—why dyd ye so? / […] / Know ye not suger and salt asonder? / Your sumner to saucy, to malapert, / Your harrold in armes not yet halfe experte. c. 1525, John Skelton, “Skelton Laureate against the Scottes”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 185, lines 92 and 96–98:

Forms

Deriveds

put asunder · asunderness

Hyponyms

in twain · in two · in half · atwain

Relateds

separate · piece

Synonyms

half and half · in twain · in sunder · piecemeal · apart · asunder · apart

Translations (34)

bg but see разедине́н (moving apart from each other) · pt em pedaços (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · fi hajalle (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · es en dos (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · fr en morceaux (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · bg раздалеча́вам (moving apart from each other) · bg раздалеча́ (moving apart from each other) · ja ばらばらに (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · ru на ча́сти (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · cs na kusy (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · it in pezzi (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · de entzwei (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · de in Stücke (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · ru врозь (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · bg на парчета (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · cmn 四分五裂 (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · fi kahtia (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · tr ayrı ayrı (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · nl afzonderlijk (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · es en pedazos (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · nl uiteen (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · gd air leth (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · ru на куски́ (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · oc en tròces (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · fi erilleen (moving apart from each other) · pl na kawałki (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · bg раздалече́н (moving apart from each other) · de auseinander (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · tr parça (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · bg на части (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · sv sönder (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · sa वि (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · nl uit elkaar (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action) · ar إِرْباً (into separate parts or pieces, often due to some violent action)

asunder en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈsʌndə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (General-American) audio
• ə-sŭnʹdər (General-American)
• /əˈsʌndəɹ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English asondren (“to alienate; to separate; to depart; to part company; to disappear”), from Old English asundran, āsundrian (“to disjoin; to separate; to sunder, put asunder; to sever”) (possibly influenced by onsundrum (adverb): see etymology 1), from ā- (prefix meaning ‘away; from’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“away; out”)) + sundrian (“to separate, sunder”) (from Proto-Germanic *sundrōną (“to separate, sunder”), from *sundraz (“alone, separate”) (see further at etymology 1) + *-ōną (suffix forming factitive verbs from adjectives)).

Meanings

1. (archaic, literary, transitive) To set apart (one or more people or things) from other people or things; to put asunder, to separate, to sunder.
   • Thou could not be perſvvaded that my vvittes / Could once retire ſo farre from ſence aſondred, […] 1593, Barnabe Barnes, “[Elegies] Elegie II”, in Parthenophil and Parthenophe. Sonnettes, Madrigals, Elegies and Odes. […], [London]: [John Wolfe], →OCLC, page 76:
   • A plough beetle, ploughſtaff, to further the plough, / great clod to a ſunder that breaketh ſo rough: […] 1580, Thomas Tusser, “A Digression to Husbandlie Furniture”, in Fiue Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie: […], London: […] Henrie Denham [beeing the assigne of William Seres] […], →OCLC, stanza 10, folio 16, recto:

Forms

Deriveds

sunder · asundering